Grid system for supporting a suspended ceiling and ceiling mounted equipment

Abstract

A grid system for supporting a suspended ceiling and ceiling mounted equipment includes a plurality of grid elements which are interconnected in a orthogonal grid pattern. The grid elements have a wire raceway located at their upper end which is accessible from above the grid element. Flanges located at lower portions of the grid elements engage the equipment supported by the grid system.

We claim:  
     
       1. A grid element for supporting a suspended ceiling, the grid element comprising:
 an upper grid element including first walls and a bottom wall that cooperate to define an upper cavity having an upwardly facing opening that extends along at least a portion of a length of the grid element, the upper cavity including an upper raceway; 
 a lower grid element including second walls and a top wall that cooperate to define a lower cavity having a downwardly facing opening that extends along at least at least a portion of a length of the grid element, the lower cavity including a lower raceway, the upper and lower raceways sized to receive at least one of wire and an electrical component therein, wherein the upwardly facing opening and the downwardly facing opening enable access to the at least one of wire and components in the upper and lower cavities from both above and below the grid element; 
 at least two web extending between the bottom wall and the top wall to separate the upper grid element and the lower element, the two web sections positioned apart to define at least one gap therebetween; 
 a hollow tube positioned within the at least one gap and extending between the bottom wall and the top wall to operably connecting the upper raceway and the lower raceway such that electrical wiring is navigable between the upper raceway and the lower raceway; and 
 a top plate defining a generally planar portion positioned between side edges, the side edges being engagable by upper ends of the first walls proximate to the upwardly facing opening, the top plate for receiving at least one fastener to couple the grid element to a hanger that supports the grid element, wherein the top plate is elongated to enclose a portion of the upper raceway. 
 
     
     
       2. The grid element of  claim 1  further comprising electrical wire extending along the raceway in the upper cavity. 
     
     
       3. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical component represents recessed lighting. 
     
     
       4. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the top plate being spaced apart from the bottom wall to locate the upper raceway therebetween. 
     
     
       5. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the upper ends of the first walls includes catches proximate to the upwardly facing opening, wherein the top plate includes corresponding catches engagable to the catches of the first walls. 
     
     
       6. The grid element of  claim 1 , further comprising a light placed within at least one of the upper and lower raceways. 
     
     
       7. The grid element of  claim 6 , further comprising a translucent cover attached to the at least one of the first and second walls to cover the light. 
     
     
       8. The grid element of  claim 1  wherein the first walls include a sidewall having a plurality of openings extending there through, and wherein the second walls include a sidewall having a plurality of openings extending there through, the openings being configured so that wire is extendable between the upper cavity and the lower cavity through the openings. 
     
     
       9. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the grid element is configured to couple to at least one other grid element to form a support grid. 
     
     
       10. The grid element of  claim 9 , wherein the support grid is configured to support ceiling-mounted equipment. 
     
     
       11. The grid element of  claim 1  further comprising an electrical wire and an electrical component extending along the raceway in the upper cavity. 
     
     
       12. The grid element of  claim 1  further comprising an electrical wire and an electrical component extending along the raceway in the lower cavity. 
     
     
       13. The grid element of  claim 1  further comprising an electrical wire extending along the raceway in the upper cavity and an electrical component extending along the raceway in the lower cavity. 
     
     
       14. The grid element of  claim 1  further comprising an electrical wire extending along the raceway in the lower cavity and an electrical component extending along the raceway in the upper cavity. 
     
     
       15. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the upwardly facing opening enables access to the upper cavity continuously along the length of the cavity. 
     
     
       16. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the downwardly facing opening enables access to the lower cavity continuously along a length of the cavity. 
     
     
       17. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the upwardly facing opening comprises a continuously extending elongated passage. 
     
     
       18. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the downwardly facing opening comprises a continuously extending elongated passage. 
     
     
       19. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the second walls each include a catch to releasable receive a plate that divides the lower cavity into an upper portion and a lower portion. 
     
     
       20. The grid element of  claim 1 , wherein the first walls each include a catch to releasable receive a plate that divides the upper cavity into an upper portion and a lower portion. 
     
     
       21. A grid element for supporting a suspended ceiling, the grid element comprising:
 an upper grid element including first walls and a bottom wall that cooperate to define an upper cavity having an upwardly facing opening that extends along at least a portion of a length of the grid element and a closed lower end opposite the upwardly facing opening, the first walls defining a width between the first walls and a height defined between the upwardly facing opening and the closed lower end, the upper cavity including an upper raceway; 
 a lower grid element including second walls and a top wall that cooperate to define a lower cavity having a downwardly facing opening that extends along at least at least a portion of a length of the grid element, the lower cavity including a lower raceway, the upper and lower raceways sized to receive at least one of wire and an electrical component therein, wherein the upwardly facing opening and the downwardly facing opening enable access to the at least one of wire and components in the upper and lower cavities from both above and below the grid element; 
 at least two web extending between the bottom wall and the top wall to separate the upper grid element and the lower element, the two web sections positioned apart to define at least one gap therebetween; 
 a hollow tube positioned within the at least one gap and extending between the bottom wall and the top wall to operably connecting the upper raceway and the lower raceway such that the wire is navigable between the upper raceway and the lower raceway; and 
 a top plate defining a generally planar portion positioned between side edges, the side edges being engagable by upper ends of the first walls proximate to the upwardly facing opening, the top plate for receiving at least one fastener to couple the grid element to a hanger that supports the grid element, wherein the height of the first walls creates a minimum distance from the fastener and the closed lower end greater than the width between the first walls, wherein the top plate is elongated to enclose a portion of the upper raceway. 
 
     
     
       22. The grid element of  claim 19 , wherein the hollow tube extends through the lower portion of the upper raceway to convey wires from the upper portion of the upper raceway to the lower raceway. 
     
     
       23. The grid element of  claim 20 , wherein the hollow tube extends through the upper portion of the lower raceway defined by the plate to convey wires from the lower portion of the lower raceway to the upper raceway.